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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
WBB-20160311-1
Big South Sports Photos
57
High Point HPU 12-19
72
Winner Radford RAD 18-12
High Point HPU
12-19
57
Final
72
Radford RAD
18-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
High Point HPU 22 13 5 17 57
Radford RAD 11 16 28 17 72

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

RADFORD RISES ABOVE ADVERSITY YET AGAIN TO ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS



GAME INFORMATION
-  Score: Radford 72, High Point 57
-  Records: Radford (18-12) | High Point (12-19)
-  Location: Kimmel Arena (Asheville, N.C.)
 
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Adversity has been a common theme for the Radford women's basketball team this season. It struck again Friday night in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Big South Women's Basketball Championship inside Kimmel Arena.
 
Down 15 to No. 6 seed High Point with 1:51 left before halftime, the third-seeded Highlanders seemed to be on their way to their third straight early exit from the conference tournament. However, just like in previous encounters with adversity, Radford did not back down from the challenge.
 
"We've been emphasizing how important it is for us to stay together and play for one another," head coach Mike McGuire said. "We may not always be able to control when adversity comes our way, but we do control how we respond."
 
And respond is exactly what the Highlanders did. Facing its largest deficit since Charleston Southern on Feb. 13, Radford reeled off seven straight points, capped by a Destinee Walker pull-up jumper in the paint to trim the Highlanders' deficit to single digits for the first time since the 8:54 mark of the second quarter.
 
That rally was only a glimpse of what was about to unfold.
 
Out of intermission, RU scored on its first seven possessions to break open the floodgates. Before it was all said and done, the Highlanders utilized a 35-4 run to turn a 35-20 deficit into a 55-39 lead with 50 ticks left in the third stanza.
 
In the third quarter alone, Radford outscored the Panthers, 28-5, and shot 78.6 percent (11-14).
 
The Highlanders' resiliency stunned High Point, which shot 2 of 12 (16.7 percent) during the third quarter. Radford extended its lead to as large as 19 just seconds into the final frame. HPU got no closer than 13 the rest of the way.
 
"This is a huge win for our program," McGuire acknowledged. "After losing our first game in the tournament each of the last two years, it takes a win like this to get that feeling back…that feeling of winning. Now, we get an opportunity to play a program in Liberty, who we have so much respect for."
 
Jayda Worthy tied her career high of 19 points, which included 13 during the second-half surge. She paced four Highlanders in double-figure scoring. Janayla White, Gaby Gilmore and Alexis Jackson each contributed 11 points. Walker chipped in nine points and two assists.
 
White also added 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season. With her 10 rebounds, White became the 19th member of the 500-rebound club. She is one of just five players in program history to have over 100 career blocks and 500 career rebounds.
 
The Highlanders were efficient from the free-throw line, converting 20 of 26 (76.9 percent). They outscored the Panthers, 40-20, in the paint and outrebounded their opposition, 44-32. Once the momentum swayed to Radford's side, the Highlanders were able to get out in transition. They finished with an 18-2 advantage in fast-break points.
 
Kaylah Keys and Kat Harris delivered 15 and 10 points, respectively, for High Point. However, Keys was held to four points and Harris was scoreless in the final 20 minutes of action. After going 5 for 10 from 3-point land in the first half, the Panthers were just 1 of 14 from downtown after halftime.
 
On the strength of its 18th victory, which is the most in a single season since 2007-08, Radford earns a date with No. 2 seed Liberty in the semifinals of the 2016 Big South Women's Basketball Championship. It will be the first tournament meeting between the two storied programs since 2010.
 
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